界 (jiè) — (suffix) realm, world, sphere; (noun) boundary, border
Definition
界 is the bound morpheme for 'boundary' and 'realm/field'. As a noun it means a border (paired with 边界 and 界限); as a suffix it forms abstract fields like 动物界 ('animal kingdom') — narrower than 领域, which is specifically for areas of study or expertise.
suffix
realmworldsphere
noun
boundaryborder
Examples
- 。Liǎng guó de jiè xiàn shàng yǒu zuò qiáo.There is a bridge on the border line between the two countries.
- 。Dòng wù jiè de duō yàng xìng lìng rén jīng tàn.The diversity of the animal kingdom is amazing.
- 。Tā zài xué shù jiè yǒu hěn gāo de shēng yù.He has a high reputation in academic circles.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
界 is built from 田 (field) and 介. 田 carries the meaning, while 介 gives the sound.
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